U.S. patent application number 11/577014 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-24 for method and system for tracking equipment employing rf-id technology.
This patent application is currently assigned to KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.. Invention is credited to Gary Allen Schwartz.
Application Number | 20080094208 11/577014 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35503851 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080094208 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schwartz; Gary Allen |
April 24, 2008 |
Method And System For Tracking Equipment Employing Rf-Id
Technology
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and system for determining the location of
at least one of a plurality of uniquely-identified transducers
within one of a plurality of known areas (210-270). The method
comprises the steps of receiving information from at least one
sensor selected from a plurality of first (211, 212, 216) and
second sensors (218, 228, 238), wherein the first sensors (211,
212, 216) are distributed within the plurality of known areas, and
the second sensors are located between adjacent ones of the
plurality of known areas (220, 240), the information including at
least a transducer-unique identification, associating the received
information based on the transducer identification, and determining
the location based on the information received by at least one of
the first sensors. In one aspect the information is a signal
strength. In another aspect of the invention, the location may be
determined based on information received by a plurality of the
first sensors. In another aspect of the invention, the transition
of the transducers from one area to an adjacent area may be
determined and such transition stored in a database.
Inventors: |
Schwartz; Gary Allen;
(Seattle, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS
P.O. BOX 3001
BRIARCLIFF MANOR
NY
10510
US
|
Assignee: |
KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS,
N.V.
GROENEWOUDSEWEG 1
EINDHOVEN
NL
5621 BA
|
Family ID: |
35503851 |
Appl. No.: |
11/577014 |
Filed: |
September 22, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
September 22, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB05/53141 |
371 Date: |
April 11, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60618013 |
Oct 12, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/539.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 8/4438 20130101;
A61B 8/4245 20130101; A61B 8/00 20130101; A61B 2562/08 20130101;
G07C 9/28 20200101; G01S 5/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/539.13 |
International
Class: |
G08B 1/08 20060101
G08B001/08 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for determining a location of a transducer within
one of a plurality of known areas, said transducer containing at
least one uniquely identifiable characteristic, said apparatus
comprising: a processor (320) in communication with a memory (330),
said processor for executing code for: receiving information from
selected ones of a plurality of first and second sensors (211-278),
wherein said first sensors, which are distributed within said
plurality of known areas (210, 260), and said second sensors, which
are located between adjacent ones of said plurality of known areas,
said information including said uniquely identifiable
characteristic; associating said received information based on said
transducer identification; and determining said transducer location
based on the information received by at least one of said sensors
(150, 160).
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor
further executing code for: determining said location based on a
signal strength received by a plurality of said first sensors (140,
160).
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor
further executing code for: storing said location in a first
database.
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said processor
further executing code for: collecting a plurality of locations in
said first database over a known period of time.
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said processor
further executing code for: predicting a transducer location based
on said plurality of device locations stored in said first
database.
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor
further executing code for: determining a transition of said
transducer (180) from one area to an adjacent area based on a
signal strength received by at least one of said second sensors;
and storing said transducer transition in a database.
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor
further executing code for: transmitting a request signal (110),
said request signal including at least one transducer
identification.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said request signal
is transmitted upon receipt of a command (105, 107).
9. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said request signal
is transmitted periodically.
10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising: an
input/output device (340), in communication with said processor
(330), for receiving information from said first and second
sensors
11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said code is
stored in said memory (340).
12. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said transducer
includes an RFID transponder.
13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said RFID
transponders operate in a frequency range selected from the group
consisting of: VHF and UHF.
14. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said RFID
transponder includes a unique identification.
15. A method for determining a location of a transducer containing
at least one uniquely identifiable characteristic, within one of a
plurality of known areas, said method comprising the steps of:
receiving information from selected ones of a plurality of first
and second sensors (211-278), said first sensors distributed within
said plurality of known areas (210-260), and said second sensors,
located between adjacent ones of said plurality of known areas,
said information including said uniquely identifiable
characteristic; associating said received information based on said
identification characteristic; and determining said transducer
location based on the information received by at least one of said
sensors (150, 160).
16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step
of: determining said location based on a signal strength received
by a plurality of said first sensors within said associated area
(140, 160).
17. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step
of: storing said location in a first database.
18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step
of: collecting a plurality of locations in said first database over
a known period of time.
19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the step
of: predicting a transducer location based on said plurality of
device locations stored in said first database.
20. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the step
of: determining a transition (180) of said transducer from one area
to an adjacent area based on the information received by at least
one of said second sensors; and storing said transition in a
database.
21. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the step
of: transmitting a request signal (110), said request signal
including at least one transducer identification.
22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said request signal
is transmitted upon receipt of a manual command.
23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said request signal
is transmitted periodically.
24. A computer-readable medium containing code thereon, said code
comprising instructions for executing the steps of: receiving
information from at least one sensor selected from a plurality of
first and second sensors (211, 278), wherein said first sensors are
distributed within a plurality of known area (210-260) and said
second sensors are located between adjacent ones of said plurality
of known areas, receiving information transmitted by said
transducers, said information including said unique identification
characteristic; associating said received information based on said
transducer identification; and determining a transducer location
based on the information received by at least one of said sensors
(150, 160).
25. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein
said code further comprising instructions for executing the step
of: determining said transducer location based on a signal strength
received by a plurality of said first sensors within said
associated area (140, 160).
26. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein
said code further comprising instructions for executing the step
of: storing said transducer location in a first database.
27. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 26, wherein
said code further comprising instructions for executing the step
of: collecting a plurality of device locations in said first
database over a known period of time.
28. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein
said code further comprising instructions for executing the step
of: predicting said transducer location based on said plurality of
transducer locations stored in said first database.
29. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein
said code further comprising instructions for executing the step
of: determining a transition (180) of said transducer from one area
to an adjacent area based on a signal strength received by at least
one of said second sensors; and storing said transducer transition
in a database.
30. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein
said code further comprising instructions for executing the step
of: transmitting a request signal (110), said request signal
including at least one transducer identification.
31. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein
said request signal is transmitted upon receipt of a command (105,
107).
32. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein
said request signal is transmitted periodically.
33. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein
the information said location is selected from the group consisting
of: a signal strength or a location.
Description
[0001] This invention is related to the field of electronic
tracking and, more specifically, to a method and system for
tracking equipment using RF-ID technology.
[0002] As computer and electronic technologies continue to be
incorporated into business and commercial settings, organizations
must continue to track existing, and newer, equipment as they are
added to the inventory. Hence, inventory control and management has
become an important aspect of many businesses. This is particularly
true when there is a limited amount of equipment and the equipment
must be shared between parties or offices and it is in-use, located
in a different office or unusable due to repair or maintenance. In
another aspect, as equipment becomes smaller and lighter, there is
a likelihood that it may be taken or stolen and, hence, lost
permanently.
[0003] In many hospitals, for example, medical equipment is shared
between different offices, laboratories or diagnostic rooms as they
are needed. Most equipment utilizes one or more ultrasonic
transducers that perform specific functions. Further, the
transducers may be interchangeable with other equipment. For
example, portable diagnostic studies are common in ultrasound, with
imaging systems and their associated transducers being moved
through the hospital to the patients' bedside. However, time is
often lost in locating equipment, devices and/or the transducers
when needed. One method of saving time in locating devices is to
provide significant duplication of the equipment or transducers.
However, this is very expensive and only exacerbates the problem as
equipment is added to the existing inventory and the added
equipment also must be accounted for and controlled. Furthermore,
the cost of the transducers is relatively high as each transducer
can represent between 5 and 20% of the equipment's cost. With
regard to specialty applications, the transducers may be shared
among several systems, across several exam rooms or clinics, and
the determination of their location may become a critical
issue.
[0004] Hence, there is a need in the industry for a method and
system for managing and controlling inventory in which equipment
can be quickly located and utilized more efficiently.
[0005] A method and system for determining the location of
uniquely-identified transducers within a plurality of known areas
are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving
information from at least one of a plurality of first and second
sensors, wherein the first sensors are distributed within a
plurality of known areas and the second sensors are located between
the adjacent ones of the plurality of known areas, the information
including at least a transducer identification, associating the
received information based on the transducer identification and
determining the location of the transducer, and a corresponding
device, based on the information received by at least one of the
sensors. One aspect of the information is a signal strength. In
another aspect of the invention, the location may be determined
based on the information received by a plurality of the first
sensors. In another aspect of the invention, a transition of the
transducers from one area to an adjacent area may be determined and
such transition stored in a database.
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow chart of a process for managing
equipment/inventory in accordance with the principles of the
invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary network for managing
equipment/inventory in accordance with the principles of the
invention.
[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates a system for managing equipment/inventory
in accordance with the principles of the invention.
[0009] It is to be understood that these drawings are solely for
the purpose of illustrating the concepts of the invention and are
not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. The
embodiments shown in the figures herein and described in the
accompanying detailed description are to be used as illustrative
embodiments and should not be construed as the only manner of
practicing the invention. Also, the same reference numerals,
possibly supplemented with reference characters where appropriate,
have been used to identify similar elements.
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow chart 100 of a process for
managing equipment and/or transducers in accordance with the
principles of the invention. In this illustrative aspect of the
invention, a request is made for specific or designated equipment
at block 110, which may include one or more transducers. Hence, the
request may be made with regard to specifically-identified
equipment or device or a specifically-identified transducer located
on a device. Although the invention is now described with regard to
a medical device or one or more transducers attached to a medical
device, it would be recognized by those skilled in the art that
requests for other types of equipment may be similarly made. For
example, the present invention may be used to track biopsy guides
that are sometimes used in conjunction with the transducers.
[0011] The request may be made by a manual request entered by an
operator (block 105) or may be made based on a predetermined
worklist (block 107), or it may be deduced from operator selections
of a study type or procedure. In one embodiment, a predetermined
worklist may be used to determine the study type or procedure. For
example, a "modality list," which is referred to as DICOM standard
Modality Worklist, (see for example, Digital Imaging and
Communications in Medicine (DICOM), National Electrical
Manufacturers Association, 2003,
http://medical.nema.org/dicom/2003.html), which is known in the
medical arts as a list of steps or procedures used to diagnose an
ailment. may be used to determine when specific equipment is
needed. In this case, certain steps or procedures, dependent upon
the list, require that a specific piece of equipment, such as an
x-ray machine or an ultrasonic device, be available. Hence, the
requests may be made automatically as the diagnosis steps are
executed and the next step is to be performed. Although not shown,
it would be recognized that the request may be performed
periodically--e.g., hourly, weekly, monthly--in order to
continually monitor the location of equipment. With the information
regarding a determined location, including the last time of
equipment or transducer location, an operator may, depending upon
the latency of the information, manually request an update or
proceed to the last recorded location. In another aspect of the
invention, the request may be continuously made and the results
stored in a data base in order to track the location or movement of
the equipment. In this manner, the location of the equipment may be
predicted based on its movement. In a more automated manner, the
requests may be made dynamically based on the patient worklist to
insure that equipment is available when needed, as previously
noted.
[0012] Returning to FIG. 1, at block 120, a request is transmitted
via a network, as it will be more fully described with regard to
FIGS. 2 and 3, to search for a desired or requested device and/or
transducer. At block 130, a determination is made whether the
requested device and/or transducer has responded to the request,
e.g., "found." If the answer is in the affirmative, then a
determination is made, at block 140, whether the requested device
and/or transducer has been "found" or detected on multiple sensors.
If the answer is negative, then the sensor "finding" the requested
device and/or transducer with the strongest signal strength is
identified, at block 150, and the location is displayed at block
160. In this case, the location is displayed based on the single
sensor detecting or finding the requested device and/or transducer
160, and, as one skilled in the art would recognize, the location
provided by the single sensor provides a general indication of the
location.
[0013] Returning to the determination at block 140, if the answer
is negative, an examination of an "exit database" is made at block
170. At block 180, a determination is made whether the requested
device and/or transducer is recorded in the "exit database." If the
answer is in the affirmative, then an indication of the exit is
displayed at block 185. Otherwise, an indication that the requested
device is "not found" is recorded or displayed at block 190.
[0014] In another aspect of the invention, when it is determined
that the requested device and/or transducer has been detected by
multiple sensors, a more precise location of the requested device
may be made by correlating the signal strengths of the multiple
sensors detecting the requested device. In this aspect of the
invention, based on the location of the sensors with respect to one
another and the received signal strength at each sensor, the
location of the requested device may be more accurately determined.
Location determination based on the received signal strength at
multiple locations is well-known in the art and need not be
discussed in detail herein.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary configuration of sensors
211-278 located in space 200. In this illustrative configuration,
sensors 211, 212 and 216, for example, are distributed in a manner
to detect the presence of equipment or devices containing
transducers in space 210, and sensors 242 and 244 are distributed
in a manner to detect the presence of equipment in space 240.
Equipment placed in space 210, for example, may be detected
primarily by sensors 211, 212 and 216, and, to a lesser extent, by
sensors 242 and 244. As noted above, in one aspect of the
invention, the location of the desired equipment may be determined
by correlating the relative magnitude of the signal strengths
received on each sensor. Thus, the more sensors detect a signal
from the desired equipment, device or transducer, the more accurate
the determination of the equipment location.
[0016] The remaining sensors shown are similarly positioned or
distributed within the area to detect the presence of equipment in
their respective areas and need not be discussed in detail.
Although not shown, it would be recognized that each sensor is
connected to a network, which may be wired or wireless, and that is
used to transmit requests from a central station, not shown, or
return detection information to a central station. The central
station uses the returned detection information to determine the
location of the desired equipment.
[0017] Sensors 218, 228, 238, 258, 268 and 278, which may be
similar to the sensors distributed throughout the known areas, are
specially designated sensors based on their position at locations
between spaces. Sensors 218, 228, 238, 258, 268 and 278 are
positioned between adjacent areas to determine when equipment
transitions from one space to another. In the case when one of the
sensors 218-278 detects equipment and/or transducer transition from
one area to another, the identified equipment and/or transducer may
be included in an exit/entry database list. The exit/entry list may
be used, as shown in FIG. 1, when equipment is not found when a
request is made.
[0018] In one aspect of the invention, at least one RF-ID
transponder (tag) is included in a transducer attached to the
equipment or to designated components of the equipment. RFID
technology is well-known in the art. (See, for example, "RFID
Handbook: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless Smart Cards
and Identification," Finkenzeller, Chap. 3, John Wiley & Sons,
Ltd. ISBN: 0-470-84402-7). In the present invention, the RF-ID tag
transponder associated with a transducer provides a response to a
transmitted request. Preferably using VHF or UHF RF-ID frequencies,
which have a limited sensing/transmitting range--i.e.; in the order
of 2-4 meters--sensors 211, 212, and 214, in space 210, for
example, may be positioned apart in the order of 4-8 meters.
[0019] Each RF-ID tag further includes a unique identification
characteristic, for example, a serial number, which is transmitted
when a request is made to determine the location of the transducer
incorporating the RF-ID tag. The location of the equipment then may
be determined by correlating the detection by at least one sensor
with the desired RFID tag identification. In one aspect, the
location may be approximated as the sensor receiving the highest
signal strength. In another aspect, the location may be determined,
i.e., refined, based on the signal strength of the received
response on a plurality of sensors.
[0020] As noted previously, an RF-ID tag may be contained in a
transducer associated with equipment and/or associated with
components that are incorporated into the equipment. Hence, the
desired equipment may include a plurality of transducers, hence, a
plurality of RF-ID tags. In this case, a request may be made to
locate the desired equipment device and a plurality of responses,
one for each associated RF-ID tag incorporated into the equipment,
may be made. The location may then be determined or made known by
correlating the independently-determined locations of each RF-ID
tag or transducer.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a system 300 for implementing the
principles of the invention as depicted in the exemplary processing
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this exemplary system 300, input data is
received from sources or devices 305 over network 350 and is
processed in accordance with one or more programs, either software
or firmware, executed by processing system 310. The results of
processing system 310 may then be transmitted over network 370 for
viewing on display 380, read/write device 385, reporting device 390
and/or a second processing system 395.
[0022] More specifically, processing system 310 includes one or
more input/output devices 340 that receive data from the
illustrated source devices 305 over network 750 in response to a
request to provide source devices 305. The received data is then
applied to processor 320, which is in communication with
input/output device 340 and memory 330. Input/output devices 340,
processor 320 and memory 330 may communicate over a communication
medium 325. Communication medium 325 may represent a communication
network, e.g., ISA, PCI, PCMCIA bus, one or more internal
connections of a circuit, circuit card or other device, as well as
portions and combinations of these and other communication media.
Processing system 310 and/or processor 320 may be representative of
a handheld calculator, special-purpose or general-purpose
processing system, desktop computer, laptop computer, palm
computer, or personal digital assistant (PDA) device, etc., as well
as portions or combinations of these and other devices that can
perform the operations illustrated. This processing system may be
embedded in an ultrasound imaging system, or other related medical
equipment, or may be in stand-alone equipment having a network
connection.
[0023] Processor 320 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or
dedicated hardware/software, such as a PAL, ASIC, FGPA, operable to
execute a computer instruction code or a combination of code and
logical operations. Memory 330 may be any semiconductor memory such
as a ROM, PROM, EEPROM and/or RAM. In one embodiment, processor 320
may include a code which, when executed, performs the operations
illustrated herein. The code may be contained in memory 330; may be
read or downloaded from a memory medium such as a CD-ROM or floppy
disk, represented as 383; may be provided by a manual input device
381, such as a keyboard or a keypad entry; or may be read from a
magnetic or optical medium 387 when needed. Information items
provided by input devices 381, 383, 387 may be accessible to
processor 320 through input/output device 340, as shown. Further,
the data received by input/output device 340 may be immediately
accessible by processor 320 or may be stored in memory 330.
Processor 320 may further provide the results of the processing to
display 380, read/write device 385, recording device 390 or a
second processing unit 395.
[0024] As one skilled in the art would recognize, the term
processor, processing system, computer or computer system may
represent one or more processing units in communication with one or
more memory units and other devices, e.g., peripherals, connected
electronically to and communicating with at least one processing
unit. Furthermore, the devices illustrated may be electronically
connected to the one or more processing units via internal buses,
e.g., serial, parallel, ISA bus, microchannel bus, PCI bus, PCMCIA
bus, USB, etc., or one or more internal connections of a circuit,
circuit card or other device, as well as portions and combinations
of these and other communication media, or an external network,
e.g., the Internet and Intranet. In other embodiments, hardware
circuitry may be used in place of, or in combination with, software
instructions to implement the invention. For example, the elements
illustrated herein also may be implemented as discrete hardware
elements or may be integrated into a single unit.
[0025] As would be understood, the operations illustrated may be
performed sequentially or in parallel using different processors to
determine specific values. Processing system 310 may also be in
two-way communication with each of the sources 305. Processing
system 310 may further receive or transmit data over one or more
network connections from a server or servers over, for example, a
global computer communications network such as the Internet,
Intranet, a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network
(MAN), a local area network (LAN), a terrestrial broadcast system,
a cable network, a satellite network, a wireless network, or a
telephone network (POTS), as well as portions or combinations of
these and other types of networks. As it will be appreciated,
networks 350 and 370 may be also internal networks or one or more
internal connections of a circuit, circuit card or other device, as
well as portions and combinations of these and other communication
media or an external network, e.g., the Internet and Intranet.
[0026] In another aspect of the invention, the RF-ID tags may also
include a transponder that allows the RF-ID tag to receive
information from a location system, such as a Global Positioning
Satellite system. In this aspect of the system, the RF-ID tag may
provide its location based on the information provided from the
location system. Hence, in this aspect of the invention, in
addition to providing information regarding the unique
identification, the information provided may also include its
location. The central computer system may then use the location
received as the equipment location.
[0027] While there has been shown, described, and noted fundamental
novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred
embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions
and substitutions and changes in the apparatus described, in the
form and details of the devices disclosed and, in their operation,
may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit of the present invention. It is expressly intended that all
combinations of those elements that perform substantially the same
function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results
are within the scope of the invention. Substitutions of elements
from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended
and contemplated.
* * * * *
References